Top 5 Restaurant Closures in Mississauga in 2016

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Published December 24, 2016 at 3:57 am

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While Mississauga has a fantastic–and growing restaurant scene–it occasionally loses beloved gems, big name brands and former nightlife hotspots.

While 2016 was a great year for Mississauga in terms of some big-name openings, it was also a year with a few losses. This year, we said goodbye to a beer mecca, a hidden Japanese gem, a once-thriving chain resto and a popular sandwich shop.

Here are five restaurants who shocked us when they shuttered their doors for good in 2016.5) Spring Rolls

Love it or hate it, Spring Rolls was popular for years and welcomed friends, families, couples and businesspeople to its spacious and well-placed Sussex Centre location. A year or so after closing its Erin Mills Town Centre resto, the brand left Mississauga for good when it shuttered its doors in November. A Spring Rolls representative confirmed that the restaurant is permanently closed and that the city is no longer home to any Spring Rolls locations. As of now, the brand is only operating four locations—three in Toronto and one in Waterloo. Delivery is no longer available to Mississauga diners, either.

4) Odai Sushi

Odai Sushi, the small Heartland-area gem hidden in a Britannia plaza, closed its doors on Sunday, May 29.

After a reader sent the sad tip, we confirmed that the operators — a warm and memorable pair — were indeed closing the well-loved location. Odai first opened in 2010 and quickly attracted a loyal customer base. The restaurant set itself apart by offering uniquely personal service. The owners always remembered regulars (and their orders) and augmented their delicious offerings with complimentary appetizers. The resto made insauga.com’s Top 5 Under the Radar Japanese Restaurants list shortly before it closed.

Odai, you will be missed. Thanks for the delicious food and incredible service.

3) Jay’s Sandwiches of the World

One of Mississauga’s best and most inventive sandwich shops has, unfortunately, shuttered its doors. Jay’s Sandwiches of the World, which was located in a plaza on Bloor St. off of Cawthra Road, was known for its creative menu items–especially its Korean beef sandwich with steak, Korean BBQ sauce, kimchi, toasted sesame seeds, scallions and lime chili aioli. The restaurant, which opened in the summer of 2015, made it onto multiple top 5 lists, including Top 5 Sandwiches, Top 5 Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches and Top 5 Hot Sauces.

The resto, operated by self-taught chef Jay Aguiar, focused on his interpretation of world flavours (hence the name Jay’s Sandwiches of The World) from Korea to India to Italy and Cuba. The ingredients included everything, including kimchi, fig spread, jerk sauce, fried plantain, coco bun, tomato sauce and peameal bacon. All of Aguiar’s sandwiches were made fresh-to-order on fresh bread (never on day-old bread). The restaurant will be missed.

2) The Old Barber House

Unfortunately, the iconic Old Barber House stopped serving food on Dec. 23. While the news was no doubt disappointing for people who enjoyed some upscale meals at the iconic (and reportedly haunted!) establishment, fans of historical architecture need not fret–the structure itself isn’t going anywhere.

The restaurant closure isn’t too surprising when considering the fact the area is slated to undergo development. City Park Homes has proposed 24 three-storey townhouses, two three-storey detached dwellings and four dwelling units within the existing heritage building.

So while the building itself isn’t going anywhere, you won’t be able to enjoy a luxurious meal at the charming Victorian property any longer.

1) West 50

Some of you might have forgotten poor old West 50, the Sussex Centre gem that was pulling nightlife seekers long before &Co and Bier Markt set up shop in City Centre. If you’ve been partying elsewhere, remember your old friend and its spacious patio and impressive selection of a TON of on tap beers. The resto seemed to suffer something of an identity crisis before closing down, temporarily re-branding as a martini bar at one point. While it’s hard to say what might have gone wrong, many locals no doubt have fond memories of one of the city’s hottest nightlife spots.

West 50, thanks for the memories.

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